Screen Sport Super Cup 1985-86

After the Heysel Stadium disaster English clubs were banned from competing in European competitions indefinitely from season 1985-86.  The financial implications for the six clubs who had earned qualification from the previous season were potentially disastrous.  English football was going through a difficult time with reduced attendances and more coverage on the front pages than the authorities would prefer.

The end of the 1985-86 season had not been a happy one.  56 fans died in a fire at Bradford City’s Valley Parade stadium and then at the European Cup Final in Brussels, 39 Juventus fans lost their lives when a wall collapsed after a charge by Liverpool supporters.  This was the final straw for UEFA and they took immediate action.  English clubs were banned from European competition until such time as it was considered they had rid themselves of “the English disease” or violence at football matches.  Yet even after that Liverpool would suffer a further three year ban as punishment.

The Football League was keen to come up with a substitute competition for the clubs concerned and so they conceived the idea of a Super Cup.  The six clubs were split into two groups with each side playing the other two clubs in their group twice.  The top two in each group would then meet in a Semi-Final and Final stage played over two legs.  The winners would have to negotiate eight matches to be successful.

The intention was to hold the competition annually for the duration of the ban (which ultimately existed for five years) but the games were poorly attended and the competition just didn’t quite do it when compared to the glamour of European tournaments.  To make things worse some of the clubs themselves hardly managed to drum up interest in it and so it would remain a one-off cup.

Perhaps the fact a sponsor was yet to be found right up to kick-off didn’t help.  In the end a cable TV channel, ScreenSport, came to the rescue.  It had been launched in 1984 and was bought by WH Smith in 1987 and then later by Eurosport before its demise in 1993.

Another hurdle to get over was the clubs were in dispute with BBC and ITV over money and so there was no football on telly until the New Year.  At the time there was real concern television would reduce gates, with many in power believing people would just stay at home and watch rather than make their way to the grounds.  This meant the brand new competition got off to the worst possible start as people couldn’t watch it on TV.

For the rest of the First and Second Division clubs, the Football League devised their own competition and called it The Full Members Cup. 

As if all this turmoil wasn’t enough, behind the scenes there was talk of a breakaway league and by December 1985 plans were in place to reduce the First Division in size and introduce play-offs.  Fortunately, a new TV deal was agreed.  It seems madness today to think back to a TV deal which included nine First Division and League Cup games from January with a separate deal for the FA Cup and two further live matches, England v Scotland and the European Cup Final.  For many supporters now they are used to seeing at least three live games every weekend, but back then football just didn’t trust or understand television and so we had the situation of no football to watch at all for the first six months of the season.

The six clubs to participate in the competition were, Everton (League Champions), Manchester United (FA Cup winners), Norwich City (League Cup winners), and then the three clubs who had qualified for the UEFA Cup, Liverpool, Tottenham and Southampton.  The two groups were drawn and consisted of Liverpool, Tottenham and Southampton in Group One, and Everton, Norwich City and Manchester United in Group Two.  There were rumours the two biggest clubs in the country at the time, Liverpool and Everton, were kept apart in the draw in a bid to give the competition some credence and try to keep the interest through to the final.

The competition kicked off on 17^th September at Anfield where Liverpool took on Southampton.   Their League form couldn’t have been more different.  Southampton were yet to win away and Liverpool had won every home match.  All the goals came in the first half as Jan Molby gave the home side an early lead, with Danny Wallace equalising mid-way through, only for Kenny Dalglish to put Liverpool back in front almost immediately.  A good win for Liverpool but concern for the organisers as fewer than 17,000 turned out to watch.

The next night Manchester United took on Everton at Old Trafford.  United had started the season off with a bang, having won every one of their eight League matches and were eight points ahead of Everton in 2^nd.  Everton lead at the break after Kevin Sheedy and Gary Lineker scored to cancel out Bryan Robson’s penalty.  Sheedy scored again in the second period with Graeme Sharp adding a fourth.  Frank Stapleton’s goal was merely a consolation and United had lost their 100% record in all competitions, although if you include their Charity Shield defeat to Everton then it was their second defeat.  Just under 34,000 turned up for the game and although that was more than at Anfield, it was still down on the regular 50,000+ who had been watching the League games at Old Trafford.  In his programme notes, United Chairman, Martin Edwards, said he hoped the Super Cup would only last for one season as he hoped the ban on English clubs would only last that long.  He got his wish in the end, but only the bit about the shelf-life of the competition rather than the ban.

17^th September 1985, Anfield, 16,189

GROUP ONE

LIVERPOOL   (2)   2   (Molby, Dalglish)

SOUTHAMPTON   (1)   1   (Wallace)

Liverpool: Grobbelaar; Nicol, Lawrenson, Hansen, Beglin; Johnston, Lee, Molby, McMahon; Walsh, Dalglish

Southampton: Shilton; Golac, Bond, Wright, Dennis; Curtis (Lawrence), Townsend, Whitlock, Armstrong; Wallace, Jordan

18^th September 1985, Old Trafford, 33,859

GROUP TWO

MANCHESTER UNITED   (1)   2   (Robson pen, Stapleton)

EVERTON   (2)   4   (Sheedy 2, Lineker, Sharp)

Man Utd:Bailey; Duxbury, McGrath, Moran, Albiston; Strachan, Robson, Whiteside, Barnes; Hughes, Stapleton

Everton: Southall; Stevens, Ratcliffe, Marshall, Van den Hauwe; Steven, Harper, Bracewell, Sheedy; Lineker (Heath), Sharp

At the beginning of October barely 10,000 could be bothered to get to Goodison Park to see Gary Lineker score the only goal of the game as Everton beat Second Division Norwich City to virtually confirm their passage to the next stage.  The vibe around Goodison was so poor that Everton manager, Howard Kendall, later admitted his team talk consisted of the following phrase “what a waste of time this is – out you go”.

At White Hart Lane two first half goals from Mark Falco were enough to see off Southampton despite Steve Moran’s reply in the second period.  Southampton were lying in the relegation zone in the League and their participation in this competition was now in doubt with a second defeat.

2^nd October 1985, White Hart Lane, 11,549

GROUP ONE

TOTTENHAM   (2)   2   (Falco 2)

SOUTHAMPTON   (0)   1   (Moran)

Tottenham: Clemence; Thomas, Perryman, Roberts, Hughton; P Allen, Hoddle, Ardiles (Mabbutt), Waddle; Falco, C Allen (Chiedozie)

Southampton: Shilton; Baker, Wright, Bond, Armstrong; Case, Townsend, Curtis; Wallace (Lawrence), Jordan, Moran

Goodison Park, 10,329

GROUP TWO

EVERTON   (0)   1   (Lineker)

NORWICH CITY   (0)   0

Everton: Southall; Stevens, Ratcliffe, Marshall, Van den Hauwe; Steven, Harper, Bracewell, Sheedy; Lineker, Sharp

Norwich: Woods; Haylock, Bruce, Spearing, Phelan; Barham (Brooke), Mendham, Williams, van Wyk; Drinkell, Rosario

By the time Liverpool visited Southampton for their return fixture they had moved into second place in the League, still ten points behind the leaders Manchester United.  Southampton had moved up a couple of places themselves and put up a better fight than at Anfield as David Armstrong’s goal was cancelled out by a late Paul Walsh goal and the points were shared.  The next night at Carrow Road, Norwich City pulled off a shock as Peter Mendham’s goal beat the League Champions, Everton.  The attendance for this game was only slightly down on their League matches and the win opened up the group.  Norwich City had been looking forward to, what would have been, their first ever foray into European Competition after they lifted the League Cup back in April beating Sunderland who then joined Norwich in being relegated from the First Division.

22^nd October 1986, The Dell, 10,503

GROUP ONE

SOUTHAMPTON   (0)   1  (Armstrong pen)

LIVERPOOL   (0)   1   (Walsh)

Southampton: Shilton; Baker, Whitlock (Townsend), Wright, Holmes; Case, Cockerill, Puckett, Armstrong; Wallace, Moran

Liverpool: Grobbelaar; Neal, Lawrenson, Hansen, Beglin; Nicol, Johnston, McMahon, Molby (MacDonald), Whelan; Walsh

23^rd October 1986, Carrow Road, 12,196

GROUP TWO

NORWICH CITY   (0)   1   (Mendham)

EVERTON   (0)   0

Norwich: Woods; Culverhouse, Bruce, Watson, Phelan; Barham, Mendham (Brooke), Williams, van Wyk; Drinkell, Biggins

Everton: Southall; Stevens, Ratcliffe, Harper, Van den Hauwe; Steven, Heath, Bracewell, Sheedy; Lineker (Richardson), Sharp (Wilkinson)

Manchester United’s 100% record in the League had gone but by this stage they were still unbeaten and nine points clear of Liverpool in second.  Norwich had begun to get some sort of momentum going in Division Two after a poor start and after playing in front of crowds of around 10,000 they seem galvanised despite Old Trafford being less than half full.  Wayne Biggins had scored his first goal of the season at Brighton the previous weekend, and he opened the scoring here as well.  Norwich lead at the break but a Norman Whiteside penalty

in the second half rescued a point for the home side.

6^th November 1985, Old Trafford, 20,130

GROUP TWO

MANCHESTER UNITED   (0)   1   (Whiteside pen)

NORWICH CITY   (1)   1   (Biggins)

Man Utd: Turner; Gidman, McGrath, Hogg, Albiston; Blackmore, Whiteside, Olsen, Barnes (Strachan); Hughes, Brazil

Norwich: Woods; Culverhouse, Bruce, Watson, Phelan; Barham, Mendham, Williams, van Wyk; Drinkell, Biggins

By the time December came along, Liverpool had hunted down United’s lead at the top of the League to reduce the deficit to just two points.  In the Super Cup they made it two wins out of two as Kevin MacDonald and Paul Walsh scored first half goals which ultimately saw off any challenge Spurs might have been able to muster.

In the other group, Manchester United’s poor overall form continued.  Since their last game against Norwich they had yet to win a match of any sort, and there was a kind of irony in Everton’s winning goal coming from one of their own players, Frank Stapleton, who put through his own net.  The defeat for United meant they could only qualify for the Semi-Finals if they beat Norwich by two goals in the last group game.

3^rd December 1985, Anfield, 14,855

GROUP ONE

LIVERPOOL   (2)   2   (MacDonald, Walsh)

TOTTENHAM   (0)   0

Liverpool: Grobbelaar; Nicol, Lawrenson, Hansen, Beglin; Johnston, Lee, Molby (Wark), MacDonald; Walsh, Rush

Tottenham: Clemence; Stevens, Perryman (Thomas), Mabbutt, Hughton; P Allen (Ardiles), Roberts, Hoddle, Waddle; Falco, C Allen

4^th December 1985, Goodison Park, 20,542

GROUP TWO

EVERTON   (0)   1   (Stapleton og)

MANCHESTER UNITED   (0)   0

Everton: Southall, Harper (Pointon), Ratcliffe, Stevens, Van den Hauwe; Steven, Bracewell, Richardson; Heath, Lineker, Wilkinson

Man Utd: Turner; Gidman, McGrath, Blackmore, Gibson; Strachan, Whiteside (Dempsey), Olsen; Stapleton, Hughes, Brazil

When Norwich and United met at Carrow Road to decide the other qualifier from this group, their respective League form was poles apart.  Norwich were unbeaten in their last nine, having won three in a row.  United had just beaten Ipswich, to end a run of four without a win.  The biggest crowd of the season at Carrow Road saw David Williams give the home side a half-time lead, but Colin Gibson equalised in the second half for the visitors.  Norwich then just saw out the game to earn a draw and a place, alongside Everton, in the Semi-Finals.

11^th December 1985, Carrow Road, 15,449

GROUP TWO

NORWICH CITY   (1)   1   (Williams)

MANCHESTER UNITED   (0)   1   (Gibson)

Norwich: Woods; Culverhouse, Bruce, Watson, Phelan; Barham, Mendham, Williams, van Wyk; Drinkell, Biggins

Man Utd: Bailey; Gidman, McGrath, Garton, Gibson; Strachan, Dempsey, Blackmore,Whiteside; Stapleton, Brazil

With Liverpool already having confirmed their progression to the Semis, these two were fighting to join them.  It was Southampton’s final group game and anything other than a win would see the end of their participation.  Southampton had already beaten Spurs when the two met at The Dell in the League a month earlier, but this time Spurs would get their revenge.  Mark Falco and Clive Allen put the visitors in front in the first half.  Despite Danny Wallace getting a goal back for the home side, David Leworthy made certain of the points for Spurs and Southampton were out.

17th December 1985, The Dell, 4,680

GROUP ONE

SOUTHAMPTON   (0)   1   (Wallace)

TOTTENHAM   (2)   3   (Falco, C Allen, Leworthy)

Southampton: Kite; Forrest, Wright, Bond, Dennis; Case (Townsend), Cockerill, Holmes, Armstrong (Puckett); Moran, Wallace

Tottenham: Clemence; Thomas, Perryman, Mabbutt, Hughton; Stevens, Roberts, Ardiles (Leworthy), P Allen; Falco, C Allen (Cooke)

Group One was already decided when Liverpool visited White Hart Lane.  For Tottenham this came in the middle of a six game run without a win, and a measure of how they rated this particular competition could be evidenced in calling up forty one year old former legend, Pat Jennings to give Ray Clemence a rest.  During a goalless first half, Kevin MacDonald broke his arm in a collision with Steve Perryman and had to be replaced.  Ian Rush scored early in the second half, and then again just after Mark Lawrenson had made it 2-0.  Three goals in twelve minutes finished off the hosts and Liverpool marched on having dropped just two points.

14^th January 1986, White Hart Lane, 10,078

GROUP ONE

TOTTENHAM   (0)   0

LIVERPOOL   (0)   3   (Rush 2, Lawrenson)

Tottenham: Jennings; Perryman, Stevens, Miller, Hughton; Chiedozie, Roberts, Mabbutt, P Allen, Galvin (Cooke); C Allen

Liverpool: Grobbelaar; Nicol, Lawrenson, Hansen, MacDonald (Gillespie); Lee, McMahon (Wark), Molby, Whelan; Walsh, Rush

Semi-Finals

There were already noises being made about fixture pile-up by the time the Semis arrived.  Liverpool had already made it into the Semi-Finals of the League Cup and were still in the FA Cup, which had reached the Fifth Round stage.  Everton and Tottenham were due to meet in the FA Cup so they had other matters to concentrate on.  Everton were sitting top of the League with Liverpool in fourth and so this competition was viewed as little more than an inconvenience.

At a snowy White Hart Lane just 7,548 bothered to turn up for the game where Everton fielded only three first team regulars.  The game ended goalless and was largely a forgettable affair.

At Carrow Road Norwich took on Liverpool.  Norwich were unbeaten in their last seventeen in the League and had just come off a run of ten wins on the spin.  Liverpool were fourth in the League, three points behind leaders, Everton.  They’d already faced Norwich this season when they thumped them 5-0 in the FA Cup Third Round at Anfield.  Norwich’s top scorer, Kevin Drinkell broke the deadlock in the second half but player-manager, Kenny Dalglish, equalised for the visitors ten minutes from time and the game ended level.

5^th February 1986, White Hart Lane, 7,548

TOTTENHAM   (0)   0

EVERTON   (0)   0

Tottenham: Clemence; Perryman, Mabbutt, Miller, Stevens; Chiedozie, Roberts (Hughton), Crook, Waddle; Falco (P Allen), C Allen

Everton: Southall; Stevens, Van den Hauwe, Marshall, Pointon; Steven, Reid, Billinge, Richardson; Coyle, Wilkinson

Carrow Road, 15,313

NORWICH CITY   (0)   1   (Drinkell)

LIVERPOOL   (0)   1   (Dalglish)

Norwich: Woods; Culverhouse, Bruce, Watson, Phelan; Barham, Mendham, Williams; Drinkell, Deeham, Biggins

Liverpool: Grobbelaar; Nicol, Lawrenson, Gillespie, Beglin; Johnston, Lee, Molby, Whelan; Walsh, Dalglish

The fixture schedule only allowed one of the Semi-Finals to be played before the end of the season.  At Goodison Park, if Howard Kendall thought the whole competition a waste of time, he found his players were keener on it as they swept Tottenham aside.  Everton were three points ahead of Liverpool at the top of the First Division, unbeaten in eleven and just had a six-game winning run ended when they were held at Chelsea.  Tottenham were mid-table, having lost six of their last ten.  Adrian Heath put Everton in front but Mark Falco equalised and with both sides still level after ninety minutes, the game went into extra time.  Goals from Derek Mountfield and Graeme Sharp won it for Everton and they were through to the Final.

19^th March 1986, Goodison Park, 12,008

EVERTON   (0)   3   (Heath, Mountfield, Sharp)

TOTTENHAM   (0)   1   (Falco)

Everton: Southall; Billinge (van den Hauwe), Marshall, Mountfield, Pointon; Harper, Heath, Richardson, Sheedy; Wilkinson (Sharp), Coyle

Tottenham: Clemence; Thomas (Bowen), Stevens, Miller, Hughton; Chiedozie, P Allen, Mabbutt, Galvin; Falco, Waddle

But the identity of their opponents was not known for almost three weeks as Liverpool were chasing trophies on three fronts.  They’d just fallen at the final hurdle in a bid to get to yet another League Cup Final when a late goal against QPR knocked them out in the Semis.  Two days before the other Semi-Final in this competition, they overcame Watford in a replay of their Sixth Round FA Cup encounter.  By the time they found space in the calendar for this tie they’d booked their place in the FA Cup Final and three days before this game Kenny Dalglish had scored the winner against Chelsea to claim another League title, and his first in his first year in charge of the team.

Four days before the FA Cup Final Liverpool lined up at Anfield for the visit of Norwich City, and began by parading the League Championship trophy.  With the tie level, former Tottenham midfielder, Gary Brooke, gave Norwich an early lead.  They had already won the Second Division title, having lead since mid-December and were in buoyant mood.  Liverpool didn’t come back into it until ten minutes into the second half when Kevin   On seventy two minutes, Jan Molby converted a penalty and then soon after Craig Johnston completed the scoring and Liverpool’s 3-1 win matched that of Everton’s in the other Semi-Final.

MacDonald equalised.

6^th May 1986, Anfield, 26,696

LIVERPOOL   (0)   3   (MacDonald, Molby pen, Johnston)

NORWICH CITY   (1)   1   (Brooke)

Liverpool:Grobbelaar; Nicol, Gillespie, Lawrenson, Beglin; Johnston, Lee, MacDonald, McMahon, Whelan (Molby); Walsh

Norwich: Woods; Culverhouse, Bruce, Watson, Phelan (Haylock); Clayton, Brooke, Williams, van Wyk; Drinkell, Deehan

Liverpool and Everton, due to meet in the FA Cup Final, were paired again in another Final but when it would be played was highly doubtful.  With the World Cup looming and England, Scotland and Northern Ireland all booked to appear, the authorities were keen to allow players as much time off beforehand.  As it was there was no time to play the Final before the start of the following season, so we had the unusual aspect of a Final of a competition being played four months after the finalists were known.  For Everton the gap for them was six months between their Semi-Final win and the Final.

Final

This was the third successive trophy on offer to English clubs which had been contested by Liverpool and Everton.  Liverpool won the FA Cup in May, the two shared the Charity Shield in August and here they were contesting the, seemingly unwanted, Super Cup.  By the time of the first leg the two clubs were again in the top three in the League, with Everton unbeaten.  Ian Rush put Liverpool in front after just six minutes and they held the lead until former Liverpool player, Kevin Sheedy, equalised five minutes before the break. 

After the turnaround, Steve McMahon restored Liverpool’s lead ten minutes into the second period and then midway through the half, Ian Rush scored his second and Liverpool had a useful lead to take to the second leg.

16^th September 1986, Anfield, 20,660

LIVERPOOL   (1)   3   (Rush 2, McMahon)

EVERTON   (1)   1   (Sheedy)

Liverpool: Hooper; Venison, Lawrenson, Gillespie, Beglin; Nicol, MacDonald, McMahon, Whelan (Molby); Rush, Dalglish

Everton: Mimms; Billing, Ratcliffe, Marshall, Power; Steven, Adams, Langley, Sheedy (Aspinall); Wilkinson, Sharp

Just 26,068 turned up at Goodison Park for the second leg as Liverpool took their two goal advantage there.  Two soon became three when Ian Rush was again on target after ten minutes.  He scored again just before the half-hour to give the visitors a lead at the break.  Just after the hour Trevor Steven missed a penalty for Everton when he hit the post and then Stevie Nicol scored almost immediately and the game was all over as a contest.  There was still time for Rush to complete his hat-trick with Graeme Sharp getting no more than a consolation goal as Liverpool ran out comfortable winners, 4-1 on the night and 7-2 overall.

Liverpool lifted the new trophy for the one and only time and there were also tankards for the players, which seemed odd as there was a lot of fuss about choosing a brewery as a sponsor for the competition.  As the tournament was only taking place due to the European ban on English clubs after the Heysel tragedy, it was thought that as heavy drinking had clearly played a part in the events of that evening, a brewery would not be a suitable sponsor.

30^th September 1986, Goodison Park, 26,068

EVERTON   (1)   1   (Sharp)

LIVERPOOL   (2)   4   (Rush 3, Nicol)

Everton: Mimms; Billinge, Ratcliffe, Mountfield, Power; Steven, Adams, Heath, Sheedy (Aspinall)(Pointon); Wilkinson, Sharp

Liverpool: Grobbelaar; Gillespie, Hansen, Lawrenson, Beglin; Nicol (Venison), Molby, McMahon (Walsh), Whelan; Wark, Rush

Five Favourite Wins Against - Everton at Home

Continuing the series where I look back at my five favourite wins the Liverpool’s next opponents.  This weekend Liverpool play the Merseyside derby against Everton at Anfield.  Here are my five favourite wins from past encounters.

6^th November 1983

LIVERPOOL   (1)   3   (Rush 16, Robinson 60, Nicol 85)

EVERTON   (0)   0  

LIVERPOOL: Grobbelaar; Neal, Hansen, Lawrenson, Kennedy; Lee, Souness, Nicol; Robinson, Rush, Dalglish

EVERTON: Southall; Harper, Ratcliffe, Higgins, Bailey; Steven, Irvine, King, Sheedy; Heath, Sharp

This game was played on a Sunday and Liverpool stood the chance of going top of the table after Manchester United lost the day before.  Everton were down in 16^th having scored fewer goals than any other side in the division.

After quarter of an hour, Hansen brought the play forward passing to Dalglish just inside his own half on the left.  Dalglish played a beautifully weighted pass splitting Harper and Ratcliffe for Nicol to run onto.  Nicol then beat Harper down by the bye-line and his low cross was only parried by Southall and Rush was on hand to fire the ball home.  Rush had got the only goal in Bilbao in midweek in the European Cup, and had scored 5 goals against Luton the last time Liverpool were at home.

Neither side created many real clear-cut chances for the rest of the half but on the hour Grobbelaar picked out a cross easily enough and then his long throw sent Dalglish on his way down the left.  Dalglish moved infield finding Lee on the right. His cross was headed out for a corner.  Dalglish was becoming more and more influential and as Liverpool patiently waited for an opening, Souness played Dalglish in on the right edge of the area, just as he had done for many years, and his low cross had Rush trying to grab his second at the near post.  The ball bounced off the post and across the goal where Robinson was unmarked at the back post to turn the ball in.

Graeme Sharp tried to chip Grobbelaar from outside the area but the ball landed on the bar.  Then as they were closing the game out, Dalglish found Rush on the right, who then turned it back for Lawrenson to cross.  His cross was met by Nicol for the third goal.  The whole performance was very comfortable as Liverpool played the ball about at will.

Liverpool were back on top of the table and they ended up winning in Joe Fagan’s first season in charge.  They also won the League Cup and their fourth European Cup.  Everton recovered from their poor start.  They were 16^th on Boxing Day and went onto finish 7^th.

25^th April 1987

LIVERPOOL   (2)   3   (McMahon 9, Rush 45, 85)

EVERTON (1)   1   (Sheedy 15)

LIVERPOOL: Hooper; Venison, Gillespie, Hansen, Ablett; Johnston, Molby, Spackman, McMahon, Whelan; Rush

EVERTON: Southall; Stevens, Watson, Ratcliffe, Power; Steven, Reid, Snodin, Sheedy; Heath, Clarke

When Everton arrived for the derby in 1987 they were top of the league by 6pts with Liverpool in 2^nd.  Liverpool had played a game more and only had 3 more to go after this one, so a win was vital.

Everton had won their last 7 and were on fire, conceding just twice during that run and had lost just once in their last 11.  This run had seen them overhaul Liverpool who were leading in mid-March.  They had won just once in their last 5, losing the other 4.  Having won the double the year before they were struggling to hold onto their League title.

Anfield was packed, with thousands locked outside, and the game belonged to Ian Rush.  He equalled Dixie Dean’s record of 19 goals in Merseyside derbies, as Liverpool managed to keep the title race alive.  This was the period when Liverpool and Everton dominated English football, sharing nearly all the trophies between them. 

Nine minutes in and Ablett drove down the right, exchanging passes with Rush before the Welshman flicked the ball to McMahon who unleashed an unstoppable shot which left Southall helpless.  The move had been stunning in its simplicity but had also involved most of the Liverpool team.  But 6 minutes later Everton were level.  They had a free-kick just outside the area which Kevin Sheedy curled beautifully over the wall and past Hooper.  Two goals in the opening 15 minutes and from players playing against their old clubs.

The rest of the half belonged to Everton who played, as Howard Kendall remarked “one of our best performances at Anfield”.  But they were unable to take the lead and right on half-time Johnston’s left wing corner was headed home by Rush, as Southall hardly moved.  2-1 at the break but Everton still pressed in the second half with Heath and Clarke forcing Hooper into good saves.  73 minutes in and Spackman threaded the ball through to Rush who was one-on-one with Southall.  The Everton keeper came out on top on that occasion, but 11 minutes later Rush had the last laugh.  A cross by Ablett had Rush bearing down on the Everton goal again and this time he managed to force the ball over the keeper for a 3-1 win.

It prolonged the destination of the title for just a short while.  Liverpool then lost at Coventry and when Everton won at Norwich on 4^th May they were crowned Champions for the second time in three years, eventually winning the title by 9pts from Liverpool in 2^nd.

31^st August 1991

LIVERPOOL   (2)   3   (Burrows 1, Saunders 15, Houghton 62)

EVERTON   (0)   1   (Newell 76) 

LIVERPOOL: Grobbelaar; Nicol, Tanner, Ablett, Burrows; Houghton, McMahon, Whelan (Marsh); McManaman, Saunders, Walters (Rosenthal)

EVERTON: Southall; Harper, Watson, Keown (Ratcliffe), Ebbrell; Ward, McDonald, Sheedy; Beardsley, Cottee (Warzycha), Newell

This would be the last Merseyside derby at Anfield in the old First Division.  The two club met with completely opposite records in the early part of the season.  Liverpool were 3-1-1 and Everton 1-1-3.  Liverpool had won all 3 home matches and Everton had lost all 3 of their away trips.

Returning to Anfield for the first time was Peter Beardsley, once a title winner in red, he’d moved across Stanley Park for the blue of Everton.  He got a great reception from The Kop before the match, which was an illustration of, not only how they still held him in their hearts, but how they were still disappointed Graeme Souness had let him go.  Souness had taken over from Kenny Dalglish last season and the team had a distinctly different feel about it, with several youngsters beginning to make their mark.

One youngster, Steve McManaman, was involved in the opening goal barely 60 seconds after kick-off.  His play down the right saw Nicol cross the ball into the Everton box where Saunders was beaten to the ball.  Everton hadn’t fully cleared it when it fell to David Burrows, who’d joined the attack from left-back.  Twenty yards out, he took one touch and then fired a rasping shot which gave Southall no chance.  Liverpool were in front.

It was Burrows first goal for Liverpool and had come after just 48 seconds from the kick-off.  15 minutes later he was involved in the move which doubled the home side’s lead.  McManaman drifted out to the left to receive the pass from Burrows, and he found Walters hugging the left touchline.  Walters crossed to the far post where Dean Saunders, who’d replaced Beardsley at Anfield, took the ball down on his chest and then fired a low shot which beat Southall on his near post and Liverpool were 2 goals to the good.

Everton had more of the play during the first 45 minutes, but were unable to create many meaningful chances and Liverpool were comfortable for their lead at the break.  Midway through the second half Liverpool produced the sort of move they’d done every week under the previous regime.  McMahon and Houghton were involved in midfield and then Burrows was the outlet on the left.  As red shirts moved about to create space, Ray Houghton made one of his legendary late runs into space and Burrows had the simple task of laying the ball into his path and Houghton beat Southall at his near post.  It looked as if the home side would run riot, but they knew the points were safe and the opponent beaten. 

With still 15 minutes to be played it was quite appropriate for Beardsley to make his mark on the game.  His lob over the defence for Mike Newell gave the Everton striker a clear run on goal and his low shot beat Grobbelaar.  It was no more than a consolation and Liverpool were worthy winners.

Liverpool ended 6^th in the League won by Leeds United.  They won the FA Cup to give Souness his only trophy in English football.  Everton finished 12^th.

25^th March 2006

LIVERPOOL   (1)   3   (Neville og 45, Garcia 47, Kewell 84)

EVERTON   (0)   1   (Cahill 61)

LIVERPOOL: Reina; Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise; Garcia, Gerrard, Sissoko, Alonso; Crouch (Morientes), Kewell (Warnock)

EVERTON: Wright; Naysmith, Stubbs, Weir, Hibbert; Neville, Osman, Cahill, Kilbane (van der Meyde); McFadden (Ferguson), Beattie

This particular derby was a intense encounter, but then many of them are.  Liverpool were 3^rd in the table coming into the game with Everton down in 12^th.  Since they lost 1-3 to Liverpool just after Christmas, Everton had been beaten just once in their last 11 games.  Liverpool had lost just once in their last 7 matches, with only Arsenal managing to score more than once against them.

The two derbies that season yielded 17 yellow cards and 4 red cards, with 2 in each match.  On this occasion it was Steven Gerrard and Andy van der Meyde who were given their marching orders.  Gerrard had been booked for kicking the ball away after a foul, but then scythed down Kevin Kilbane and left the referee with little option than to issue a second yellow.  Everton manager David Moyes admitted they didn’t play well against 10 men.  Liverpool kept using Crouch’s height as a target and Everton appeared increasingly inept at dealing with it.

Just on half-time, the deadlock was broken.  Xabi Alonso’s corner was headed into his own net by Phil Neville.  Early in the second half Liverpool doubled their lead.  Crouch got up above Stubbs to head the ball on for Luis Garcia to lob Richard Wright.  Tim Cahill grabbed a goal back for the visitors as he scored from Osman’s corner.  But then another Osman corner saw the second dismissal of the day when van der Meyde was sent-off for barging Alonso.

With six minutes remaining Harry Kewell finished things off as he accepted Steve Finnan’s pass and calmly beat Wright.  Liverpool ended the season in 3^rd place with Everton staying in 12^th.

13^th March 2012

LIVERPOOL   (1)   3   (Gerrard 34, 51, 90)

EVERTON   (0)   0   

LIVERPOOL: Reina; Kelly, Skrtel, Carragher, Enrique; Henderson (Kuyt), Gerrard, Spearing, Downing; Carroll, Suarez

EVERTON: Howard; Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines; Coleman (Drenthe), Rodwell, Fellaini, Pienaar; Stracqualursi (Osman), Anichebe (Jelavic)

When the two met at Anfield in March 2012 they were both preparing for FA Cup Quarter-Final matches the following weekend.  In the league both were underachieving with Liverpool 7^th and Everton two places below them.  It was 4 matches since Liverpool had won in the League, and you had to go back to the end of December to find a league win at Anfield for them, although this was only their 4^th home match in the league since then.  During that time they had lifted the League Cup against Cardiff.  Everton, on the other hand, were in much better shape.  Unbeaten in their last 7, although they’d gone 4 games since their last victory away from home.

The night belonged to Steven Gerrard.  He became the second highest goalscorer for Liverpool in Merseyside derbies, behind Ian Rush.  He was certainly ‘captain fantastic’ on this night as he put in a performance to haul his teammates towards 3pts.  This was also the occasion of David Moyes 10^th anniversary as Everton boss, but in all that time he still hadn’t beaten the neighbours.

Gerrard could’ve put Liverpool in front in the opening 10 minutes only for Howard to deny him.  But he wasn’t to be kept out for long and when Martin Kelly’s shot was blocked by Howard, the ball ran free and there was Gerrard to float the ball left-footed over the keeper and high into the net.  Liverpool had pressed and pressed and were good value for their lead at the break.

Suarez, busy as ever, gave Distin a torrid time down the right and cut back, but before he could get a shot in there was Gerrard to drive the ball home for a 2-goal lead early in the second half.  Liverpool were now rampant and keen to grind their opponents into the dirt.  Carroll and Kelly both went close but in injury time it was the skipper who crowned the night off. 

Substitute Drenthe slipped on the halfway line and Gerrard immediately pounced on the error.  He surged forward, with the visiting defence desperately retreating, and played the ball to his left for Suarez.  Suarez then cut back inside and laid the ball on for Gerrard to fire into the roof of the net and on his 400^th Premier League appearance for his club, Gerrard had capped off a great night with a fine hat-trick.

Liverpool went onto beat Everton again in the FA Cup Semi-Final, before losing to Chelsea in the Final.  Everton finished higher in the league, though, as they ended 7^th with Liverpool a place below them.

HEAD TO HEAD at Anfield

Matches: 94

Liverpool win: 40

Everton win: 23

Draws: 31

Liverpool goals: 142

Everton goals: 103